Engineer buys iconic Northampton pub destroyed in cyclone Seroja after meeting previous owner at the servo

After Northampton’s Railway Tavern was destroyed during cyclone Seroja two years ago, engineer Ricky Sah bought the ruined building and is forecasting the mammoth renovation to be complete by the end of the year. Mr Sah moved to Northampton in 2015 and the tavern quickly became a frequent haunt for him and his family. “My daughter loves pizza, so we missed being able to take her down and have dinner, see our friends and have a drink,” he said. After Seroja ravaged the 146-year-old iconic landmark, also known as the “bottom pub”, then-owner Ian Traverton expressed to Mr Sah over a beer “I don’t have the energy to do this”. This was the lightbulb moment for Mr Sah, who had recently earnt his building diploma. The two met at Liberty petrol station in Northampton, which Mr Sah owns. The servo is an important link to the wider community which allowed Mr Sah to gauge the true devastation of the cyclone, and one of the most notable losses after the 2021 natural disaster was the local pub. Built in 1876, the cyclone caused significant internal damage to the building, namely the red roof which was peeled away from the structure. Last week, Mr Sah and his team of six celebrated the new roof being installed, bringing them one step closer to restoring the iconic waterhole to its former glory. Now that the roof is on, the internal work is able to be done without interference from the rain. Mr Sah believes the mammoth restoration project will be finished by the end of the year but declined to comment on the cost. “It’s not about money, it’s about the community,” he said. “I want people to be able to share the same good experiences with their families that I had with my family in the pub.” Mr Sah said the team had begun planning the interior design, honouring the historical value with a modern twist, using timber salvaged from the rebuild to make tables that will be used once the pub is open for business. The project has used solely local construction companies and personnel, with Mr Sah thanking everyone involved in the process so far. “It wouldn’t be happening without them,” he said.